Writing Contest #1 - Write a story about your life before you arrived at Nightshade.
Legacy of the MoonStalker
By Snowstar
By Darkfire Stargazer
Her mother was another creature of
great renown, though more for her
wisdom than for her aggression. Lady
Silvermoon, also known as Lady Foxwolf
(Are you sensing a pattern with the
second titles here?), a sagely silver-
furred half-breed of fox and wolf. Her
title was a sensible one; her father
was a wise and wild black wolf, truly a
rare species. Uktenka Silvermoon was
not a well-known name, unlike most of
the Stargazer brood, but the black wolf
is a legend to his granddaughter.
Darkfire knows only what her Mother has
passed on of her grandfather, but she
admires the legacy of Uktenka. What
little is known about the black wolf
was of his great wisdom, as well as his
learning in the arcane arts. Uktenka
was a celestial sorcerer, one who
harvested the power of nature and the
night to accomplish great feats, which
are still unknown by any living beast
today. Uktenka was a peaceful
magician, however, and possessed a
great hunger for understanding of the
world, which he passed on through his
daughter and granddaughter.
Lady Silvermoon knew little of her
parents, but she came to know for
herself simply by listening to the
blood singing in her veins, her wolf
heritage called out to her. She set out
on a quest for wisdom, and on the way
just happened to bump into the Red
Phoenix. The couple remains happy today
in retired life, lounging about Castle
Umbra in the Eastern lands. When his
mate was heavy with child, Ragabash
said the cub would be as mighty as a
wolf and as unyielding as flame. Soon
his daughter was born, black as the
night. Hence, she was named Darkfire
after this claim of her father.
As she matured, young Darkfire was
fascinated by her lupine heritage, and
her mother was thrilled. Lady
Silvermoon quickly instilled a great
hunger for knowledge in her little cub,
and when her daughter was old enough,
she passed on the blade of her father,
the black wolf Uktenka. The sword of
the MoonStalker, a sacred and mighty
thing, like a scimitar yet broader and
straighter, engraved with the phases of
the moon and bearing a pommel of
polished moonstone, a symbol of the
Silvermoon legacy. Taking up the title
of MoonStalker, Darkfire chose to
pursue the path of her mother, wisdom,
while learning as well the arts of her
father's path, war. She bears the
markings of both her parents as
reminders, with a red Phoenix marked
upon one upper arm, and markings of
wolves upon her other wrist. She
proudly bears the marks of moon phases,
fangs, claws and tribal glyphs. She
became a guardian to stalk the night,
to learn from all experiences, to hone
the skills of combat and yet to seek
internal and external peace.
Striking out upon the road, she left
Castle Umbra alone, with the blessings
of her parents. She enjoyed the
solitude for some time, the serenity of
nature allowed the young vixen to learn
much about herself, as well as the
power of the world about her. However,
one can only learn so much in
isolation, and Darkfire soon stumbled
upon a roving band of rogues known as
the WARESS. She found a magnificent
sense of camaraderie there, and for the
many seasons she traveled with the
band, she took upon a more carefree
manner. Unfortunately, all good things
must come to an end. Darkfire slipped
away from the WARESS, which later
disbanded. Again, she fell into
seclusion and loneliness, wandering and
learning.
In the hills, the young vixen stumbled
across an old she-wolf hermit, dwelling
alone in a spacious cave. Darkfire had
been wandering alone for quite some
time; she was weary, hungry, and
horridly lonesome. The hermit was
equally lonely, and more than happy to
welcome in an exhaustive traveler.
Much to Darkfire’s luck, the hermit was
also a great source of knowledge. The
vixen wanderer had been welcomed in for
a night, and she ended up in the she-
wolf’s company for two seasons. In
this time, she delved deeper into
astrological studies, learning more
than she could ever have imagined about
the stars, and gained the ability to
learn more from the stars themselves.
She also learned a great deal about
healing and herbal medicine, a skill
that she has found to be very useful.
In the hill cave, she could be one with
the earth and grow strong; she could
listen to the very voice of the earth,
learning its secrets.
Yet, life is a circle, one of death and
rebirth, and Darkfire had learned this
well from the old hermit. The wise and
ancient she-wolf soon passed her spirit
on, sharing her last secrets and
blessings to the young vixen who took
care of her in her final days. Again,
Darkfire took up the path of solitude
and wanderlust. That path stretches
beyond the reach of the mind, and
faithfully Darkfire will tread it,
knowing there is infinite more wisdom
to be discovered.
By Darkfire Stargazer